Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Self-concepts of Intelligence Predict Performance on Tests of Intelligence

Three studies investigated the correspondence between implicit and explicit self-concepts of intelligence and how that correspondence is related to performance on different intelligence tests. Configurations of these two self-concepts were found to be consistently related to performance on intelligence tests in all three studies. For individuals who self-reported high intelligence (high explicit self-concept), a negative implicit self-concept (measured with the Implicit Association Test) led to a decrease in performance on intelligence tests. For participants whose self-report indicated a low self-concept of intelligence, positive automatic associations between the self and intelligence had a similar effect. In line with a stress hypothesis, the results indicate that any discrepant configuration of self-concepts will impair performance. Importantly, the prediction of performance on intelligence tests by the self-concept of intelligence was shown to be independent of self-esteem (Study 3). Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.